Resins & Gums
MYRRH Commiphora myrrha Species, Harvest and Extraction of a Burseraceae Resin
Key Properties
Introduction
Myrrh is the resin that exudes from incisions in the bark of Commiphora myrrha, a shrub of the Burseraceae family, and hardens in air into tears. This page sets out the species concerned, how the resin is harvested, and methods used to process it, among them steam distillation, supercritical CO2 extraction and alcoholic extraction.
About this page. It has been cut back. What it states is either cited, or a plain description of how the resin is harvested and processed. Composition, uses and hazards will return once each fact rests on a primary source.
🌿 Botanical Identity
| Accepted name | Commiphora myrrha (T.Nees) Engl. |
| Family | Burseraceae |
| Synonym | Commiphora molmol (Engl.) Engl. ex Tschirch |
| Life form | Shrub or tree, in desert or dry shrubland |
| Native range | E. and SE. Ethiopia to NE. Kenya; SW. and S. Arabian Peninsula |
Source: Plants of the World Online, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Commiphora myrrha, Commiphora molmol, consulted 21/09/2026.
🌳 Harvest
The resin exudes from incisions made in the bark, and hardens in air into irregular pieces known as tears.
⚗️ Processing
Among the processes applied to the resin:
- steam distillation, which yields an essential oil;
- supercritical CO2 extraction, which yields an extract;
- extraction with ethanol, which yields a tincture.
What this page sets out: the genus and family that produce myrrh, how the resin is harvested, and processes that turn it into an essential oil, an extract or a tincture.